I don't know whether I'm starting to like Grandpa there (I have a weakness for intelligent villains with a twisted sense of humor) or if I should join the ranks of people with projectiles. Tal needs to stop being so polite and tell him off. He'd get more respect for it.

As a fictional character, I like him because he's fun to write ( Chaotic Selfish plus random French just to be annoying ) and he serves his purpose in the story well ( antagonist, warning what Tal could become, sort of the evil version of Partasah - an intelligent mentor-figure good at getting his way, but corrupt instead of well-meaning. )